Challenging Sudoku

SuDoKu-Cracker is a feature-filled version of the popular Sudoku number puzzle. With plenty of options and difficulty levels, this game is sure to satisfy the most serious Sudoku player.

The game's interface isn't stunning, but it's fairly intuitive, with large, easy-to-read numbers. All of the program's features are arranged to the right of the grid, giving users easy access to them. Beginning Sudoku players may wish for a little more explanation of the features and how they're useful--the online Help file doesn't address this--but experienced players will have no trouble. (And, really, beginning players can figure things out with a bit of experimentation.) The program has a strikeout feature that shows red lines over the grid where a given number appears, making it easy for users to see potential open spaces for each number. Users can also highlight each number in 11 different colors. SuDoKu-Cracker offers seven different levels of difficulty, and the online Help file describes the strategy that will be needed to solve each one. Again, we find the Help file a bit lacking; while all of this will make sense to the more experienced player, beginners will likely wish for more information. We liked the fact that puzzles can be saved and printed for users who wish to come back to a game or solve it on paper. Overall, we felt that the program offered a nice combination of features and playability.

SuDoKu-Cracker is free. It installs desktop icons without asking and leaves a file behind upon removal. We recommend this program to ambitious beginners and intermediate and advanced users.